Extraordinary Luna: Confirmed
by redcristal
Summary: 4th story in Sandcastles and Stars series.When Luna comes home from her second year at Hogwarts; she meets with her father who informs her of terrible news … he got married and she has gained a Stepmother.
1. Chapter 1: Moon child

**Title: Extraordinary Luna Confirmed**

 **(4th story in Sandcastles and Stars series)**

 **Disclaimer** : I own nothing. Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling (some things are even borrowed from Pottermore), BtVS belongs to J. Whedon.

Ankhseram belongs to -

 **Summary** : When Luna comes home from her second year at Hogwarts; she meets with her father who informs her of terrible news … he got married and she has gained a Stepmother. Is she an evil stepmother and an older step sister? Is she a wicked step sister?

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Moon child**

 _February 13, 1984 England the Lovegood House, near the village of Ottery St. Catchpole_

He waited, pacing a circle in the carpet, and then poured himself a glass of fire-whisky. Waiting for the midwife-witch to come down to the Lovegood living room to say to him, 'Congratulations sir, you are a father.'

Xenophilius Lovegood has always prided himself on being a man with high ideas and guts to stand up for them, guts that almost landed him in Gryffindor house. But then after a very long pause, that was almost classified as a hat-still, the Hat decided to put him in Ravenclaw.

Ravenclaw, it was there that he had met his future wife Pandora Gambol. She was a sight to behold; she was like one of those Veela, or more accurately Vila. Veela after all, were a subspecies of Vila, just like …

"Mr. Lovegood?" the voice of mediwitch interrupted his thoughts.

"Hm, oh..." he mumbled startled.

"Congratulations, Mr. Lovegood, you have a healthy baby-girl."

"Can I see them?" Xenophilius asked quietly; the mediwitch smiled.

"Yes, of course, Mr. Lovegood. Please right this way."

The mediwitch walked up the stairs at a brisk pace, Xenophilius following close behind. On the bed lied his wife Pandora, her silvery hair fanned out on the blue pillows, tresses plastered on her face. She looked tired, but still she smiled her usual wide smile at him.

"See, Xeno, dear I was right; it is a girl," she said, nodding at the wrapped bundle in her arms. Cautiously, Xenophilius picked up the colourful blanket wrapped loaf of his baby girl. Carefully pulling at an edge of the blanket to take a good look at the baby's face, he came face to face with smooth pink skin, a small mouth that curved into a small smile, and big, big light blue eyes.

The mediwitch pulled out a quill and parchment. "I need to note down the child's information."

Pandora smiled, "We decided to name her Luna; Luna Selene Lovegood."

The midwife-witch started to write out the name on the parchment. Adding the width and length of the child, then pounds.

"Now, just for the records, Mrs. Lovegood, your wand's length, core, and wood are?" At Pandora's questioning look, the mediwitch smiled, "It is a new survey, we are trying to determine what effects wands types of the parents have on wizarding children."

"Oh, oh, I'd like to see the results of this survey. How long are you noting the information?"

"Mrs. Lovegood, the results are in no way secret, and I'll be happy to listen to your opinion. Besides we have already sent our results to Mr. Ollivander. It helps him to determine how many and which kind of wands he should make per year. We started about seventy years ago."

"Splendid. Now my wand length is fifteen inches and a half, very swishy, and yew with dragon heartstring core."

"And you, Mr. Lovegood?"

"Ten inches - pliable, apple wood and unicorn hair."

"Thank you."

"We will file all this under the Lovegood family health ledger," the mediwitch said, while putting the tip of the quill on the parchment and then started to write it all down.

 *****Week later – Pandora Lovegood study, top of the rook house*****

Pandora was already walking; she knew that traditionally she should be in bed for at least another week. A remnant of the time, before the postnatal potion was invented, some pure blood families insisted for the young mothers to lie in bed, being cared for by house elves. But she never was much of a traditionalist in the first place, much like her fore-mother, Ottaline Gambol who visited Muggle parts of London frequently.

"Ellfy." Pandora's light blue eyes turned to the little house elf that popped in.

"Yes Mistresz." Ellfy stepped forward to her very tall Mistress, who was a head taller than her husband; in fact Ellfy remembered with anger how bad, bad children teased her young Mistress for her height.

"Can you make pudding, strawberry this time, please?" Pandora asked, kindly. Just because House Elves were considered property by the Wizarding kind, and in a way they were, that did not mean that they had to be treated as such.

Like that poor elf, Dobby, Pandora reminded herself, that that clot of a Malfoy had in his family employ. Just because Mafoy family was posh, that didn't mean that they should treat their serfs this bad. Still, a fact that made, when he was a schoolboy, Lucius Malfoy very cross at her, below the Gambol Family.

House Elves had to work in magical household to survive, and didn't survive for long if it got freed unless a magically powerful human took him or her into service of the household.

"Ellfy will doz it. Shouldz Ellfy bringz little Missz Luna?"

"Yes, bring my daughter. She is probably getting peckish," Pandora said, twirling around so that her silver robes billowed around her as she sat down beside her writing table, which held a bookshelf that reached the ceiling, an inkpot and quills, and lots of parchment.

Mrs. Sylwian sent her by the Owl post the latest results in the survey of parents' relation to the possible wand that will chose them, or rather the mediwitch said chosen by the wizarding child. But Pandora did make a study of Wandlore, and she knew that it did not work that way.

It had to be a magical symbiosis between the child and the wand, and she could, based on the report, predict what her child's possible combinations could be. She wondered which one it will be in the end. Pulling her long white-golden hair to the nape and tied it there, like she saw some of the witches do in Japan, Pandora smiled sadly.

The days she spent in Mahoutokoro as an exchange student in her final year were one of the best years in school. She had met some lovely people there. Even if they were overly formal, but she'd liked their system. They didn't segregate by house, but students of the opposite sex didn't room together.

Not that the student body was large, about the size of two Hogwarts houses put together. She remembered her indecision if she'd rather go to the North American school, Ilvermorny. When she was little she dreamed of going there since Isolt Sayre was her role model when she was little. They did have a common ancestor of Morrigan, albeit not direct one as the Sayre family was.

Back to her daughter's possible wand; Pandora doubted that Luna's core would be dragon heartstring, like her own was, or yew wand wood, or the same as Xeno's apple, or cherry. Yew and oak were also not compatible with the little mite.

That left phoenix feather or unicorn hair as a possible wand core; as for the wand wood; pine, acacia, beech, cedar, dogwood, ebony, larch, laurel, or vine.

There was a soft pop and Ellfy appeared holding Luna in her arms. "Here, it'z little Miss, Ellfy needed to change the Missez Luna nappy and gevez her food, Ellfy did."

"Thank you Ellfy," Pandora said. Then she straightened up when Xeno entered her study, pressing a quick kiss to Luna, then to Pandora's forehead, before he pulled them both to the sofa, where he heavily sat, pulling his wife and infant daughter to him, his usual cheerful disposition shrouded in gloom.

"What is it dear?" she asked worried.

"He who must not be named is dead," Xeno said, then his hold on her tightened. "He attacked the Potters, both Lily and James are dead. Murdered by You-know-who himself. Potter's son Harry survived."

Pandora stilled; yes she was merely acquainted to Lily Potter nee Evans, because to Pandora James Potter was, what was the Muggle term? Boyfriend? Yes, James Potter was Pandora's boyfriend in his fourth year. They dated until the end of term. Just before the end, they then decided that they were better friends … and Pandora had noticed James's preoccupation with Lily Evans.

And she and Lily were on the way to becoming real friends; in fact in her last letter, before Potters went to hiding …

"How about their toddler?" Pandora asked, remembering how Lily scoffed at the prophecy, but being a mother, she took it as a precaution, because Voldemort believed in the prophecy, and so she decided to hide with her husband and son. Pandora did the research for Lily on Protection Blood Magic's, something that the European Wizarding world considered dark, because it required three things: a ritual sacrifice, murder, and protection or in Lily's case mother's love.

And love could be dark. But there was nothing dark about the love Lily felt, so Pandora was sure that it had worked; after all Harry survived a Killing Curse, and Tom Riddle was defeated by his own power.

Pandora's eyes closed, when she held her little daughter a little closer to her chest, and Pandora herself was burrowed in her husband's loving embrace. All the same, the words of the ritual that Lily cast that night, the night before they went into hiding, when Lily became the willing sacrifice, wrapping her blood protection around her son, Harry... Pandora could see it in her mind's eye…

To the time two months ago….Pandora was massaging her own back, and then smiling softly, she rubbed her bulging belly. "Wait just a little while more little one and you will be out."

Then Ellfy popped in. "Mistresz," Pandora's house elf said. "An owl came and brought letterz, the owl waitz for reply."

"Now who is this?" muttered Pandora, then she picked up letter opener and carefully pried the sealing wax from the parchment. Then she read.

Dear Pandora,

You are probably wondering why I'm writing this to you, or not. You were always frightfully perceptive. You probably guessed what I wanted when I questioned you about child protection at your baby bash.

But I'm desperate; Albus Dumbledore came to us, saying that Voldemort is hunting us and the Longbottoms, and that we should use the Fidelius charm to hide somewhere.

But I would like the additional insurance that my baby grows up, Please Pandora, if you know of anything that would inure that?!

I'm begging you to help me, help us, and little Harry!

Sincerely, Lily J. Potter.

Pandora re-read the letter, thinking that the things that were in book she bought in Japan would become useful for Lily Potter as well as for her. The problem was that the protection required specific conditions to take affect, conditions that were all too easily met in these troubled times. She carefully sat on the sofa and wrote a reply.

"I have to admit, I hadn't expected this," Lily said when she brushed away the stray red fringe that fell into her almond shaped green eyes when she was leaning over the book.

"I already set up the ingredients the moment the owl flew your way with my replay. When are you expected?"

"Soon, I said I'm going to Muggle chemist's …" Lily trailed off when she found a stronger protection spell, the one that required a ritual sacrifice.

"This one, we will use this one!" she exclaimed and showed the page to Pandora. Pandora's pale blue eyes quickly scanned the page. "If you do this spell, your life will be forfeited."

"If it will protect Harry, even after my death, then let it be forfeited. I'll give up my life hundreds of times if it meant that Harry would survive." Lily's voice carried finality that she could respect.

Pandora sighed, "Then let's do this."

She pulled out a large cloth made of linen and put it on the meadow, which was lit by bonfires and by the stars above. Then she put out a bronze mirror, a Tamagushi - branch cut from an asakaki-tree branch decorated with paper strips made from the paper mulberry shrub, and silk ribbons which she swiped through the air, purifying the site. There were also two silver bowls filled with white rice on a low table along with the ceremonial silver dagger.

Lily laid down her wand on the table, well away from the place of casting. She will have no need for wand in any case.

Then she grabbed her son, who was dozing off in his blanket, and one bowl of rice. She put the dozing toddler on the white cloth and poured the rice all around Harry. Then she went back, took ceremonial dagger and the second silver bowl of rice, and cut the veins on her right wrist. Pandora's hand tightened over her wand, but she held back. Lily was not in danger of bleeding out, she was protected – a willing sacrifice. Then she held her freely bleeding wrist over the bowl until every grain of rice was soaked in her blood.

All the while chanting "Kabā Harry Potter. Satsujin miraj Potter Evans Lily Jade Gishiki-teki tosatsu."

When the rice was red, Lily bound her wound with gauze. Pandora would heal the cut later with magic. But for now it was important that no wand magic interfered with the ritual.

 *****Nine years later (1993) *****

Pandora was putting her daughter to sleep, her mind vivid with plans for hers and Xeno's second child. There was time for another little mite for Lovegoods as they agreed that when little Luna reaches her ninth year they'll make a go at making another baby. She already had a name picked out; after a very brave woman Jade; it could be a boy's name as well as a girl's.

"Mummy, tell me a story."

"Oh what do you want to hear this time?"

Luna thought for a moment then beamed, her silvery eyes lighting up in anticipation.

"About your year at Mahoutokoro, mum, you already told me about one year at Hogwarts."

"All right, Mahoutokoro is located on the volcanic island of Minami Iwo Jima, and the palace of Mahoutokoro is made up of mutton-fat jade. Students also don't travel there by train or boats or carriages drawn by Thestrals." Pandora smiled when she saw Luna's eyes widened; she just knew that her daughter's mind pictured the Japanese school of witchcraft in her head.

"You know what a Thestral is, Luna?"

"Yes, mum, the only ones who can see them are the ones that have witnessed death."

"Correct."

"Now Wizards of Mahoutokoro refer to themselves as Majishan, which translates to magician, and they refer to Muggles as Ningen, which translates to human."

"But we are humans too."

"Yes, we are. But they prefer to set themselves apart and not Muggles. Mostly, because of the belief that anyone can learn a certain type of magic and that there is indeed many different kinds of magic in the world," Pandora explained.

"Is that true?" Luna asked eagerly.

"Well, Ellfy can use magic and can not use a wand. In fact House Elves don't need wands to work their magic. They use different source than Wizards do. Who is to say that other types of magicians can't harness other types of magic?"

Then Pandora thought for a moment, "Magic is like how people talk, little Luna. Shop assistants talk smooth and fast. Farmers and the ones that take care of animals, like a veterinarian, speak in a gentle monotone. And sailors talk very loudly."

Pandora then smiled, "But we can go through magical theory later, since it is usually Unspeakables, but they are also sometimes closed minded about things that don't fit into already existing theories. For example they think that an American Muggle landing on the moon was a Muggle hoax."

"Was it?"

"Well considering they invented a way to travel by air in an aeroplane, I'd say that it is true that there was a man on the moon. But you wanted to know more about my year in Mahoutokoro. "

"Mmm, how do students get to the school?"

"On the backs of a flock of giant storm petrels. When I came to Japan through the Ministry of Magic, I was picked up by one of those." Pandora explained. "And when we arrived at the palace, I received a faint pink robe, that when I put it on it started to change colour to sunflower yellow. They explained that when a student achieves top grades in every magical subject the robes become golden. If they turn white, however, that means that a student has betrayed the Japanese wizard's code and adopted illegal practices or broke the International Statute of Secrecy. To 'turn white' is a terrible disgrace, and it is an instant expulsion from the school and a trial at the Japanese Ministry of Magic."

Little Luna's eyes winded, "That's harsh."

Pandora nodded, "They take abuse of power seriously. That and the magic's we consider dark, such as Blood or Rebirth based spells, are not considered such if the reason for casting them serves the good of Wizards and Witches and Muggles."

Pandora then gathered her thoughts. "But you probably want to hear about my adventures at Mahoutokoro, not about the difference of dealing with the Dark Arts and the politics between British and Japanese Wizards."

Luna nodded; Pandora smiled. "Well I can tell you about my first night there, and a crush on a certain boy that I developed. And a found and bought book that affected many lives," she said, while she again, tucked her daughter in her bed.

"When I arrived the students were gathered, and I was introduced to a girl named Hikari Shiori, that means gleaming light or white gleam if it's written correctly, and she became what they referred to as my Big Sister or One-sama."

Next day, Pandora was drawing magic circles with runes and kanji inscribed all over; she was using simple chalk bought in a Muggle shop.

"Mum, what are you doing?" Luna asked, when she came into the Lovegood's living room. Then she came closer to her mother to look at the book – it was an old looking, leather bound book. It had no title gracing its cover.

"What's this spell book and why doesn't it have a title, who wrote it?"

"That's the book I bought in Japan. I don't know, it never did have a title. And no idea, someone who knew a lot about all kinds of Magic I suppose."

"But mummy, if you bought the book in Japan, wouldn't it been in, uh, in …" Luna stalled trying to remember the words for the script that her mother told her they used there.

"Kanji?" Pandora said, guessing the word her daughter was searching for. "Before I bought it yes, all the letters were indeed in Kanji format, but now the whole book is written in western letters."

"Ohh, so is the book alive?" Luna asked; Pandora blinked, startled, she hadn't thought of that.

"You know, there is a lot of magic in this book, so it is possible the book is somewhat aware."

"Huh, then perhaps we should name it, poor book hasn't got a title." Luna said in airy voice, her small hands patting a book.

"All right, what should the name of this book be, hmm?" Pandora asked amused.

"Well," Luna looked outside dreamily, "today I made sandcastles with Ginny Weasley. And daddy said we will be looking at the stars tonight!" she said exited "So the book's name will be Sandcastles and Stars."

"Sandcastles and Stars it is," Pandora said. "Now be a dear and stand in that protective circle that I drew over there."

Luna did, she sat down eagerly, and she always liked to watch her mum do new magic that she was experimenting with. And her mum had always made sure that she was protected.

Come to think of it, Luna thought, this circle was inscribed in that book. Luna smiled a small smile. It looked like that her friend Sandcastles and Stars was protecting her all this time.

Pandora then closed the book and started to work the spell; she created it in hopes to see in things unseen. But what Pandora forgot was that the magic of the book and the magic of the wand should never combine. So when she cast the spell with her wand, she was still holding onto the book.

The spell's effect was painful as it ripped through the witch's insides, soul and magic, pulling, tearing them apart, while her body stayed erect, and only slight winds stirred her hair. So little Luna who was sitting in that protective circle had no idea that her mother just died right in front of her.

 *****Time passes*****

Eleven year old Luna was looking at a light yellow envelope, and there on the front written in green ink:

 _Miss L.S. Lovegood_

 _Room to the Left_

 _Rockery Lovegood House_

 _Ottery St. Catchpole Village_

That was her invitation letter from Hogwarts; she turned to the handsome barn owl that delivered it and gave her a biscuit. The owl hooted its thanks after he ate the biscuit and then took flight back to his home, leaving Luna to open and read her letter.

 _HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY_

 _Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore_

 _(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc. Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confederation of Wizards)_

 _Dear Miss Lovegood,_

 _We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find the enclosed list of all necessary books and equipment._

 _Term begins on the 1st of September._

 _Yours sincerely,_

 _Minerva McGonagall_

Luna read, then she opened the envelope again, and yes, there it was another slip of parchment.

 _Uniform – First year students will require:_

 _3 sets of black work robes_

 _1plain black pointed hat_

 _1 pair of protective gloves (dragon skin or similar)_

 _Please note all students' clothes should carry name tags._

 _Looks like she'll have to visit Madam Malkin's in Diagon Alley, Luna thought, then ducked her head to read about her book list._

 _The standard book of spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk_

 _A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot_

 _Magical Theory by Adablers Waffling_

 _A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emerie Switch_

 _One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore_

 _Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger_

 _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander_

 _Marauding with Monsters by Gilderoy Lockhart_

 _Other equipment:_

 _1 wand_

 _1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)_

 _1 telescope_

 _1 set of brass scales_

 _Students may also bring an owl OR toad OR cat._

 _Parents are reminded that 1st years are not allowed their own broomstick._

It was her Hogwarts letter, she quickly went searching (for) her father(;) after all, she needed to go shopping.

* * *

***Pandora Lovegood***

Pandora opened her eyes; she remembered that she was lying on the floor, watching Luna and her dear Xeno mourn … her passing.

She abruptly sat up…

"Yes, you are quite dead," the male voice echoed in the golden hall. Pandora turned to see a male definitely, but the male in question had silvery skin, pitch black eyes, and green leafy hair. Pandora then did a double take; those eyes were not solid black, they were two voids.

"Who are you?" Pandora asked. "And you say I'm dead, but what is this place?"

"Mph, ever the inquisitive, my name, I have many. But I mostly prefer the name Ankhseram," he said. "This is my place, which I hold in Multiverse."

"Multiverse, what's that?"

"Consider it as a multi-layered cake, and your dimension is a strawberry filling.

"What?"

"Never mind my metaphors; you, by botching that spell, created a rip in the cake."

Pandora lowered her head; she caused death and destruction there.

"Yes you did, however the man that you saw snap would have done so anyway, since things had gone wrong even before you accidentally ripped into that dimension," Ankhseram said.

"But you, your spell book," he continued. Pandora was startled when she saw that she was still clutching the leather bound spellbook. "And your rip can enable me to fix this grievous wrong that occurred."

"And in return, well I can't revive you, but I can insure your reincarnation …"

"I'd like to insure my daughter's and Xeno's happiness; I would like to, for you to somehow insure my unborn child comes into the world for my husband, and I would like to move on when you don't need me anymore," Pandora said.

"That can be done," Ankhseram declared, "But you'll have to do most of the legwork; I have no idea how to match-make people. I can narrow it down for possible matches however. I already have five possibilities that could resolve the Dragneel issue."

Pandora nodded then Ankhseram waved her over to the golden basin filled by silvery liquid.

"Hmm, this is like a Pensive."

"Yes, similar, only it shows whatever place I want it to. Now the possibilities, I'll start with the oldest." He waved his hand over the basin and an image of a pale dark haired woman appeared.

"This is Drusilla Hornby. Now the next," The liquid rippled like somebody casted a stone into the basin. And a boy appeared, a boy, "His name is Michael Czajak, he is about years older than your daughter, then the next is…" Another ripple and Michael's image was replaced with an image of a girl.

"Her name is Nancy McNeal, she lives in a little town called Sunnydale in California."

There was another ripple, and there was this adorable blonde girl; she had a stuffed pig in her hands. "This one is Buffy Anne Summers. She is 3 years older than your daughter Luna."

And finally the liquid rippled for the fifth time, to reveal…

"And your daughter, Luna Selene Lovegood."

 **To be continued…**

*From HP wiki: Ottaline Gambol- was born sometime prior to 1827, rose to the office of Minister for Magic in 1827 and proved to be effective in the solution of the problem of how to transport hundreds of students to and from Hogwarts Castle without attracting the Muggles' attention.

Majishan – magican

Ningen - human

Kabā - wrap protection

Satsujin - murder

Gishiki-teki tosatsu – ritual sacrifice

Miraj – future


	2. 1st year Ac: Life of Luna

**Chapter 2: 1st year Ac: Life of Luna**

* * *

Luna woke up; it was her alarm clock that she set up to wake her two hours before sunrise, since she wanted to watch the stars and then the sunrise. After all it was Monday today, and today she would be shopping for her school supplies; her daddy said that they'd go today instead of Wednesday. But then again they were in the group which received a Hogwarts letter a day earlier than the Weasley group.

That wasn't unusual, Hogwarts did have a limited number of owls, and so Great Britain, Ireland, and Scotland was divided into regions for post delivery. But all letters were delivered in the span of four days, from Friday to Monday.

Her musings, as she watched the moon and the stars, came to a halt when she spotted a car flying from The Burrow. She adjusted her telescope to see that it was a Ford Anglia, and that the Weasley twins and Ronald were inside, flying towards London. Shrugging she went back to star gazing, after all dawn would come soon, and she wouldn't be able to see the stars much longer. After the dawn breaks, she'll go back to bed for the next two hours.

 *****3 hours later*****

Luna woke up with a smile, sunshine streaming from the outside, warm and yellow, perfect start of her day, throwing her blankets off as she jumped out of her bed. She needed to dress first; socks one red and the other yellow, her pants – jeans with stars, a striped t-shirt, and most importantly her Dirigible plum-shaped earrings. Her daddy told her that if the Dirigible plum is eaten, it grants extreme wisdom, and the earrings that she made from the smaller fruit itself that her daddy shrunk and put under a permanent preservation charm, enhances the wisdom of their wearers.

In just a couple of days she will begin her first year at Hogwarts. But today, her dad will take her to buy her wand and books and robes and a cauldron. It was making Luna almost squeal in excitement. She'll make some human friends in her home away from home.

The Hogwarts – who knows, perhaps she'll have a chance to go into a student exchange program, like her mum did, in her last year.

A small voice came from under the sheet, Luna smiled. Thinking of friends, Maia, her only friend for many years popped out oh she visited sometimes at Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, played with their daughter Ginny. But they were more acquaintances that played together on one or two occasions in a year.

"Good morning, Maia," she said airily and pulled the sheet down from herself and the small dent in the mattress.

"Oh no, where did Maia go?" Luna breathed, while smiling and watching the dent. Then she blinked and the dent was filled by a small, dark brown, walking more on the line of a warm old ivory ground colour, kitten with big slightly tufted tail and ears, looking at her with intelligent almond shaped amber eyes.

Luna lightly scratched Maia's head. "Do you miss your mummy little one?" she asked the purring cat. Because, despite her small appearance, the feline was fully grown and her mum disappeared after bringing her last litter of eight kittens, but then again Maia's mother, Hong, was Pandora's Familiar. So it was feline family tradition when Maia became Luna's familiar.

Pandora brought Hong from Japan; she also told her daughter that the feline that looked and was a crossbreed between a Kneazle and Demiguise, Pandora had brought Hong as a small kitten in her trunk, when she returned from Mahoutokoro.

Maia however was from Hong's second litter of kittens, and her father was a Singapore cat. That Pandora bought from a Muggle Animal shelter in London.

Maia inherited some of her best traits from all three sides. From her Demiguise ancestry, other than her fur colour, she could turn invisible and was mildly telepathic; she talked to Luna with images sometimes. From her Kneazle side, she inherited her general shape and intelligence, and from her father's Singapore side, temperament and size.

Looking around her room she took in the black and dark blue walls and ceiling, peppered with yellow stars, forming constellations and a full silver moon. The ceiling was bare of such paintings because she intended to paint her friends there. The painted wooden chest held her clothes; the shelves were full of her collection of books, odd things like seashells, dried flowers, and stones she collected on river bank or beach near the sea. Bureau, the table, and a chair were also painted in such a way that it fit in the room.

"Luna, dear!" her father called from somewhere downstairs.

"Coming daddy!" she called while skipping the stairs down to the dining room. Where a warm breakfast was waiting for her; daddy always made breakfast for both of them.

Warm toast with butter and honey. Toast on top with honey, butter on the bottom, because Nargles loved butter and they had trouble finding butter if it was on the bottom of the toast. Then decaf coffee, with strawberry flavouring. Muggles were very smart daddy said, to make coffee for children that tasted like strawberries. She could not wait to try real coffee or cappuccino!

 *****London - Diagon Alley*****

Xeno and Luna were walking the streets of Diagon Alley. They already bought the books she needed for her first year. Naturally she would also take with her the books her mother owned in her first year.

They also didn't need to buy an owl; the Lovegood family already owned one, besides if she wanted to she could borrow one of the school's owls, and Luna already had Maia as a familiar. Currently Maia was curled snugly inside Luna's bag, and only the tips of her tufted ears peaked out from the colourful beady bag. They already bought books and other school supplies; Luna only needed a wand.

And there was only one place where she could get her wand. Her daddy went to buy some supplies for his newspaper and he wanted to visit Mr. Junkings at his shop, which was near 'Flourish and Blotts'. Luna remembered that store, it was small, and full of old books, broken wands, old robes, and all sorts of interesting things. The kind man, who was a shopkeeper and an owner of the shop, Mr. Junkings named it _'Junk in Shop'_ , besides, her daddy once said that _"one man's junk is the another man's treasure"._

She'll handle getting her own wand alone. Besides she heard the name Ollivander, from her mother often, and she wanted to know more about Pandora, without invoking grief from her father by stirring memories about her mother.

 ***** Ollivander's Wand Shop*****

Stepping into dark store, Luna was greeted by shopkeeper, an older gentlemen, shorter than her father, with slightly balding, white frizzy hair and curious, almost sliver eyes, who just took a piercing look at her, then smiled.

"You are here for your first wand, yes? And, oh, oh, you are Pandora's little girl, aren't you? Named after the celestial body and a moon goddess. Luna Selene, yes?" At Luna's surprised look, he bobbed his head. "But how rude of me. My name is Ollivander, welcome to my shop. Oh dear me it feels like yesterday when Pandora came by for her first wand, and of course Xenophilius, why it feels like he paid for his only a couple of hours ago." At Luna's quizzical smile, the Master Wand maker elaborated,

"Your father had ten inches, pliable apple wood and unicorn hair; he was a year behind Pandora, which was fifteen inches and a half, very swishy yew wand with dragon heartstring core. Even after her marriage she kept in contact with me, and helped with Wand lore research at times."

"Mother did?"

"Yes, and I am curious to find out if her predictions for your wand were correct. Well I suppose we will find out now, won't we?"

"Mr. Ollivander, could you tell me more about my mother, Wand lore, and yourself first, please. I'm curios, you see, about ..."

"You'll definitely be in Ravenclaw child, very well. We will talk about Ollivander history with Pandora, while I take your measurements."

"Which is your wand arm?"

"I'm right-handed," Luna replied. Ollivander then gently held her by the wrist and moved her arm so that it was sticking out straight in front of her and parallel to the floor. He placed one end of the tape measure on her shoulder and unravelled it until it reached the tip of her middle finger. After that the measuring tape started to measure by itself.

"Each of the wand cores are given to me willingly and paired with wood of different varieties and lengths. There are no two wands that are exactly alike, and each wand is destined to be with a certain witch or wizard. My family has long been associated with the mysterious profession of Wandcraft, it is even in our family name; after all the name Ollivander means 'he who owns the olive wand'."

"That's enough," Ollivander commanded the measuring tape who was now measuring the distance between her shoulder blades.

Ollivander then brought out a couple of boxes, and started to open them up and hand the contents to Luna.

"Here, unicorn hair, apple wood … try it Miss Lovegood, give it a wave."

"No, not this one, how about, Birch and phoenix feather …no that one is not right either … but I think we should stick with phoenix core …hmm…how about this, Oak and phoenix feather twelve inches, very swishy."

Luna gave a little wave and bowed over some boxes, "No," Ollivander muttered, "how about this one, beech and phoenix feather ten inches, flexible very good for charms."

Luna took the wand, and immediately felt warmth spread from her fingers, and sparks emitted from the tip of the wand.

 **1996\. Kings Cross station; Platform Nine and Three-Quarters**

Luna Selene Lovegood went through a mental check list: Cauldron: Check! School Robes Check. School books – check! Potion's Kit, check, as she hurried beside her daddy at King's Cross Station, pushing her own trolley before her. Without missing a beat or slowing their pace the Lovegoods stepped straight through a brick wall to reach platform nine and three-quarters.

"Xeno!" came a shout from their left; the Lovegoods turned to see three familiar faces rushing towards them. Mr. followed closely by Mrs. Diggory, and right behind them was Cedric, their only son.

"Amos, jolly good to see you!" greeted her father, and shook the much taller man's hand. Amos smiled through his scrubby brown beard, "and Ageha, you are as lovely as ever," daddy continued and nodded at Cedric's mum. Luna liked Mrs Ageha; she always, when the Diggory's visited them, made sure that Luna had motherly advice and helped with a question that Luna would have normally asked her own mum. It helped that Pandora and Ageha were classmates at Hogwarts, though Ageha was Gryffindor and Amos was Hufflepuff, like their son was now.

Cedric was always nice to Luna as well; she recalled when she first met the older boy, at her mum's funeral, and he gave her sugar mice, and made sure that she didn't wander off, but he was nice like that to everyone. He was starting his fourth year and played as the Seeker for Hufflepuff.

Then Luna spotted a familiar family of ginger heads. The twins, Fred and George, Ginny who will be in her year, but probably not in the same house don't get her wrong, Luna was brave, some would say that she was fearless, but a more defining trait of hers was the knowledge of the unseen world around her – so she was most certain she'll end up in Ravenclaw and Ginny will be probably Gryffindor as well. Just like Ronald and Harry Potter … who were missing. Perhaps they got distracted with a Wrackspurt buzzing around them. She hoped that they don't miss the train, it would be a shame … her dad told her that Hogwarts house elves make very good pudding and she'd love some right now; pity there won't be any pudding on the train.

The Hogwarts Express gave a sharp whistle, urging students, old and new, to get onboard.

She hugged her father, muttering a quiet goodbye into his robes before boarding the Hogwarts Express, a large red steam train powered by magic not the steam, which will take her to Hogwarts.

She hauled her trunk up the steps; finding an empty compartment was easy, but it was the sights that her big, silvery eyes took in. People, students milling about, so many potential friends to make.

She didn't fear getting on the train all alone or striking up a conversation, in fact she was very much exited to go to school, to the place she only heard about from her mother and father. She did have one fear though, not an obvious one like mummies or vampires or the common fear of spiders. She feared her knowledge; she knew too much about the world. Which was why she loved to watch Nargles and Crumple – Horned Snorkacks; their behaviour had nothing to do with the darker aspects of the world that she knew were lurking, praying on the unwary. To gobble them up whole, to never be seen again.

Seeing a familiar flash of red, she hurried down the hallway. "Hi, Ginny," she greeted her neighbour, perhaps now they'll become more than two girls that hang out on occasion.

"Luna!" Ginny's lips pulled into a genuine smile, "I was looking for you!" then she scowled. "Fred and George went with their mates, and I can't find Ron or," then she blushed so hard that it clashed with her ginger hair, "Harry Potter."

"Perhaps Nargles are keeping them busy," Luna started to say, but was interrupted by a sneering voice

"Oh, look, red hair and a ratty look, you must be a Weasel!"

Luna turned together with Ginny who was now looking like a Siberian tiger cub, something Luna saw happen when was angry at somebody.

"Malfoy," Ginny spat and glared at the older boy with white-blonde hair and a pointy pale face. Luna just regarded the boy through her special glasses, hmm; she thought that he appeared as someone that would hold Self-Preservation and determination above all else. She could use that to distract him and then she could use that opportunity to pull Ginny and herself away from the older boy.

"That's Mister Malfoy to you brat!" he sneered, and Luna thought that if this was his default expression, sneering, she pitied him.

"That wasn't really nice," Luna said. "You should be careful of the Nargles."

"What the bloody hell are Nargles?"

"They are little critters that like to burrow in your brain. Look there is a tail of one poking out of your ear," Luna pointed.

At that the boy started to grab at his ear, and started to shake his head. Luna however just took Ginny's hand and pulled her along with her.

"That was brilliant Luna," Ginny breathed when they sat in the compartment, which at the moment was blissfully empty of other people. "Luna, what are Nargles?" Ginny asked, curious.

"Oh, they are harmless creatures that are known to infest mistletoes and like to cause mischievous thefts."

"Oh so there were no Nargles in Malfoy's brain?" Ginny sounded disappointed.

"No, I made that one up." She was wondering if she should pull out her Quibbler magazine, but untimely decided against it. This was her first year, there was bound to be more interesting sites, and besides she can always read the newest issue that daddy printed later in her dorm room.

"Oh, it was still brilliant." Ginny smiled. "So what house do you think you'll be in?"

"Hmm, I think you will be in Gryffindor," Luna answered. "I hope I'll be in a house that I'll find lots of friends in."

"I'm your friend, Luna," Ginny stated. "Truly, I considered you my friend since we were little."

"Oh, then I'm glad to be your friend Ginny and I …" The door slid opened and a mousy blonde haired and very energetic boy peaked in carrying a large camera.

"Hello," he greeted practically bouncing in place. "Are you First years, I'm a first year; my name is Colin Creevy, what's yours? Did you see Harry Potter, I hear he is on the train somewhere?" Luna could swear that she saw stars blinking in Colin's brown eyes.

She and Ginny exchanged glances. "I'm Ginny Weasley, this is Luna Lovegood, and yes we are first years."

"Are you excited? I am excited, imagine my dad, who is a milkman, was surprised when I got a letter from Hogwarts, thought it a joke! And mum was surprised too; she is a painter, but she took some photography classes and she gave me this old camera!" He brandished the bulky thing. Now Luna was not an expert on Muggle technology, but she was almost sure that photo cameras were smaller than the one Colin was holding.

The sound of the door interrupted the trio, but now there was a year older boy and girl standing framed in the doorway. Gryffindor crests on their robes, telling Luna which house they belonged to.

"Hello, have you seen a toad?" the girl asked. "Neville lost it again."

"Oh," Luna smiled, "well then is this your toad?" she asked, and pulled a fat toad from under Colin's seat, who started to snap pictures of the toad and the two newcomers.

"Trevor!" the boy no, Luna thought, the girl said that his name was Neville exclaimed, and carefully took his toad from her, and then sat by Colin who was again jumping in his seat.

"Hullo!" Ginny said, "You are second year Gryffindors, right?"

"That's right." The girl with unruly chestnut hair nodded. The boy was now holding Trevor the toad, and he only nodded. "My name is Hermione Granger and this is Neville Longbottom."

Ginny nodded, "yes, my brothers, well Ron mostly mentioned you."

"Oh Ron is your brother?" Hermione asked and sat in the seat opposite of Ginny, which caused Colin to sit beside Luna, still jittery, and Luna started to wonder if he was suffering from an infection of Wrackspurt; if so, she'd gladly offer him a Wrackspurt repellent.

"Yes," Ginny nodded, and at Hermione's inquiry of her aspirations in school and for afterwards, Ginny started to talk animatedly; Luna was quite content to let Ginny talk.

"And I hope I'll be in Gryffindor as well, it'll be strange if I would be the only member of our family to not make it there, though Luna says I'll definitely get into Gryffindor. Hmm after I graduate, I'd like to play professionally for the Holyhead Harpies; Gwendolyn Jones is my role model, so I'd like to meet her as well."

At the entrance they were approached by a severe looking witch, Luna remembered that her father mentioned her; she was deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall.

"First years welcome to Hogwarts, I'm Professor McGonagall, come on, line up." She beckoned them to follow her into the main hall. Luna looked up to see the famous ceiling, something she previously heard about from her mother and father, and now she could finally see it in person. How exciting!

McGonagall then stepped by the small stool on which there was a tattered brown pointy hat. Luna smiled, so that was the sorting hat; mum told her that it peeks into your heart and puts you where you could feel at home and meet friends. But then the tear at the hat's rim opened and the hat started singing:

 _"Hello, hello, it's that time of the year,_

 _Time for sorting, for I'm the Sorting Hat and that's my job._

 _So come one, come and put me on,_

 _So we will know your new home._

 _Maybe you will go to Gryffindor,_

 _The home of the brave and the strong._

 _Or perhaps Hufflepuff when_

 _The kind hearts that dwell in cosy badger home._

 _Or maybe Ravenclaw is your new home,_

 _Where the clear of mind dwell._

 _Perhaps Slytherin is the place you belong,_

 _The home of the sly folk and the cunning_

 _So come on, come on_

 _Put me on, and together_

 _We will find your new homes."_

After the song was done, Professor McGonagall stepped forward holding a scroll that she unrolled. "Now I'll call your names, the one I call step forward to be sorted."

Luna was ecstatic and she made sure she paid close attention to her fellow first years as they sat down and put the hat on. It was interesting trying to guess in which house they would call home for seven years.

"Andrews Peter" A boy with a long face and round glasses stepped forward and Professor McGonagall put the Sorting Hat on his head. There was silence … while Luna observed she thought that the boy looked like someone who could do well in either Ravenclaw or because he hadn't seemed to be afraid and quite bravely sat on the rocking boat while one of the other boys fell into the lake- Gryffindor. It was a good thing that lake water was calm.

"Gryffindor!" shouted the hat, and applause from the Gryffindor table erupted when Peter put the hat back into Professor McGonagall's hands and ran toward them.

Hmm, brave as a lion, Luna mused, pity his name was not Leo or something. If she looked at him through her Spectrespecs that could see the unseen as well as for finding Wrackspurts, she could see a lion cub. All right it is decided and with that she decided that she will keep the glasses on, and ignore the whispering around her.

 _"Can you believe that girl?"_

 _"The strange one with glasses and radishes for earrings?"_

 _"Yes."_

 _"She is a bit …odd isn't she?"_

 _"Strange glasses … it makes her look fit for the loony bin."_

"Abler Susan," McGonagall called, and a pale girl with twin black pigtails stepped forward. Luna remembered her from Diagon Alley; she was very resourceful and they talked for a bit; she had only one ambition for her life after school, to become a famous potion maker.

"Slytherin," called the hat and now that house clapped their hands and welcomed the new member into their midst. Luna knew that Slytherin was not evil; however, she would have to be cautious if she wanted to approach Susan. Not because Luna was afraid of Susan, but she had a feeling that both of them would have unwanted problems.

Alder Parker went to Slytherin, Baker Molly went to Gryffindor.

"Basset Anthony" called McGonagall, and a lanky eleven year old strode forward. Luna perked up, now him she also recalled; they met him and his cousin Bathsheba, when Ginny and her retreated from Draco Malfoy but before they found an empty compartment.

"Ravenclaw," the hat pronounced and Anthony went to the table adorned in blue and bronze colors, and a proud eagle emblem on their blue flag.

"Bannerman Bathsheba." And Anthony's cousin came forward.

"Ravenclaw."

Luna was glad when the hat called out the same house, the cousins felt as close as (a) brother and sister.

"Barrett David!"

Went to Slytherin; this surprised Luna, he looked like he'd be more at home in Hufflepuff.

"Baxter Isobel," and a small red haired girl with sun spots skipped forward; the hat was put on her wildly curly hair and …

"Ravenclaw!" the hat shouted, and the peppy redhead skipped to her new house table.

Beechwood Peter went to Hufflepuff and then it was Colin's turn; at that moment Luna noticed something odd at the teacher's high table, it was almost full, but one seat was empty … one teacher was missing. Why? What was going on?

"Creevy Colin"

When the hat called his house to be Gryffindor, Luna wasn't surprised as she watched him eagerly run to the Gryffindor table, he'll probably start to take pictures of Harry Potter … and he and Ronald Weasley were missing as well!

Cooper Mary Anne and Chambers Harry joined Slytherin, followed by two Ravenclaws, Cheney James and Colby Lillian.

"Drinkwater Delilah," called the professor, and a willowy brown haired girl stepped forward. The hat took some time to place her in her house - Slytherin. Delaney William and Edgecombe Marietta went to Ravenclaw. Followed by a Gryffindor boy, Empson Elphinstone, and then with Edwards Rose who joined Hufflepuff.…and so it went on and on; from F for Fairfax Robert – Hufflepuff to K for Kinsella Lucy who went to Gryffindor.

And then her name was called.

"Lovegood Luna Selene!"

Finally her name was called out by the teacher; she skipped over to the stool and sat while McGonagall put the Sorting Hat on her head.

'Hmm, you are an interesting one,' the hat muttered into her head. 'Me, but you are more interesting, after all how many hats can talk to you?'

'Not many I suppose.'

'Mum thought you were interesting as well, and she told me about you. She said that you are the only hat in possession of a soul.'

'She did, did she?' the hat muttered, again. 'Who was your mum? I don't recall any other Lovegood, besides Xenophilius Lovegood.'

'He is my daddy, mum's name was Pandora. Pandora... '

'Pandora Gambol, yes I remember her, very inquiring mind; have to say I had some dilemma of sorting the lass, she was ambitious and brave, so she could do well in either Slytherin or in Gryffindor.'

'But you put her in Ravenclaw?'

'Yes, because she was very accepting of all beings of nature, like you are little moon, you accept people as they are, and though you are fearless, you'll do better in' ….

"RAVENCLAW!" the last word was shouted for the all the hall to hear and she skipped to the Ravenclaw house.

Now she only needed to wait for Ginny to be sorted … in Gryffindor.

"Leggott Benjamin"

"Slytherin!"

"Latimer Vida"

"Gryffindor"

"Masdon Marjan"

"Gryffindor"

"Plummer Susan"

"Ravenclaw"

She decided it would be alright now if she'd watched for Nargles while she waited for W on the list; there were quite few people left.

"Qibun Molly!" called the professor and Hufflepuff got another member.

…

"Wilmot Harry!" Luna was startled, oh a W letter, won't belong now.

"Weasley Ginevra Molly!"

"Gryffindor."

"Wilmington Thomas." He went to Hufflepuff; Xanter Ursula, round faced mousy brown haired girl went to Gryffindor.

Yelsway Alistor joined Slytherin and then the Headmaster stood up and wished everybody a happy meal, along with a warning about entering the Forbidden Forest and with that, dishes of food and drink appeared on all four tables. Best of all there was lots of pudding.

After the feast, the first years were approached by an older witch and wizard.

"Hello First years, my name is Penelope Clearwater, this is," Penelope motioned to the dark haired boy who waved at them; "Marcus Turner and we are Ravenclaw's perfects. Now please follow us." As Luna stood up, she noticed that now Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall seats at the high table were empty.

 *****Ravenclaw common room*****

It was everything her mum described it as; it was located at the highest tower, just as Muggle stories described a Princess being held prisoner – like Rapunzel. She liked that princess story and the location of the tower. Through large windows that stretched from the wooden floors all the way to the ceiling she could see the school grounds: the lake, the Forbidden Forest, the Quidditch pitch, and the Herbology gardens.

"Hello all new students, I'm head of your house Professor Filius Flitwick." A small man, with greying hair mixed in otherwise black, was standing on the table, while the new first years of Ravenclaw sat on the carpet before the fireplace.

"As you no doubt have heard, Ravenclaws prize intelligence, wit, wisdom, creativity, originality, individuality, and acceptance. Now, the most important thing to know is that one doesn't mean the other; for example an intelligent person can, in fact, not be very wise." He shook his finger at them. "Remember this difference, as Ravenclaws your learning must be like our house emblem, an eagle, which soars where others cannot climb."

When she started to unpack at the girl's dormitory in the room she shared with four other first years, she noticed that her previous all solid black robes were now adorned with the emblem of her house, and the previously black and white tie was now blue and bronze, her house colors.


End file.
